Philippines Nets Guinness Record After Five-Day Basketball Game

Jacques Ruby (center), organizer of the 2014 Basketball Marathon, hoists the Guinness certificate presented by Turath Alsaraf, director of records at Guinness, declaring the Philippines’ attempt to hold the longest basketball marathon a success. The record now stands at 120 hours, 1 minute and 7.8 seconds, eclipsing the previous record set in the U.S. in 2012 by more than seven hours.

Cris Larano/The Wall Street Journal

MANILA–Any doubt about how basketball-crazy Filipinos are was laid to rest Saturday, when the Philippines grabbed the Guinness World Record for the longest basketball game ever played.

When referees blew their whistles to end the contest, the two teams had played a marathon game lasting 120 hours, one minute and 7.8 seconds.

That time eclipsed the previous Guinness record of 112 hours and 13 seconds set by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis, Missouri, in March 2012.

Advertisement

At the end of the five-day game, which started Mar. 24, Team Bounce Back had scored 16,783 points against Team Walang Iwanan, which netted 16,732. The previous record was set with a final score of 11,806 to 11,620 as Team Joplin defeated Team St. Louis in the U.S.

“These are 24 ordinary people that today accomplished something extraordinary,” said Jacque Ruby, who organized the 2014 Basketball Marathon in the Philippines in an attempt to win the Guinness title. “This triumph is something you cannot buy,” he said.

More than 1,500 people joined the marathon try outs held at the Rizal Technological University in December and January, but only 24 were finally selected. Three of the players – Jeff Moore, Tony Tatar and Chuck Williams – are Americans were part of the U.S. teams that held the previous record and provided the inspiration the Filipinos needed to reach their goal. Another was Maricar Convencido, a physical education teacher and the team’s only woman.

“We’re already joking with these guys that after this game we will have a rematch,” Mark Solano, one of the coaches that prepared the players to be mentally ready for the grueling five-day marathon, said with less than an hour left before the world record was set.

Mr. Solano said the toughest part of the competition came during the second and third days, when players started suffering fatigue, muscle soreness and lack of sleep.

“Guinness’ guidelines require that the players play in the spirit of the game,” said Mr. Solano, explaining that the players must remain competitive.

Guinness also requires that players do not leave the playing venue for the entire period of the marathon. At one point, two players from Team Walang Iwanan had to play more than five hours with a few minutes break to cover for injured teammates.

Dr. Isagani Leal, a doctor who specializes in musculoskeletal medicine and a consultant for the national basketball team Gilas Pilipinas, said that over the five-day marathon they had to provide intravenous fluid to a dehydrated player, treat a torn muscle and inject anesthesia so players could continue.

Owen Mabaga, a player for Walang Iwanan who suffered a sprain, said he had to keep it from his wife who was cheering from the sidelines.

“I didn’t want to worry her,” Mr. Mabaga said. “We started with 24, we will finish with 24.”

But the game wasn’t just a test of will and courage.

The basketball marathon is part of project Bounce Back Philippines, which aims to raise funds for “Operation Walang Iwanan” (Operation Stay Together), which will build 24 houses and a basketball court in Negros Occidential—an area devastated by Typhoon Haiyan last November.

Evan Lazana, who at 43 is one of the oldest Filipino players and a self-confessed basketball addict, said initially he wasn’t sure about trying out but made a go at it in January after learning the marathon was for a cause.

Mr. Lazana’s wife and kids flew from their hometown in Samar province to Manila on Friday to watch him help achieve the world record. After it was cinched, he said when he returns home the first thing he’ll do is sleep.

“I’ll probably rest for two days and get back to work. I don’t want to be jobless after this,” he said with a smile.

Mr. Moore, together with his American teammates, brought donations from the U.S., to support the effort.

“Distance should not determine who your brother is,” he said.

And while many of the players said they were looking forward to returning home, Walang Iwanan team member Hazel Foja said it wouldn’t be long before he’d take to the court again.

About Southeast Asia Real Time

Indonesia Real Time provides analysis and insight into the region, which includes Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei. Contact the editors at SEAsia@wsj.com.

Jakarta residents share their views on how Gov. Basuki Tjahaja Purnama has been running Jakarta and whether they're worried about plans by city council to investigate his handling of this year's budget.